Relay



Sept 25, 1956 A. F. HoRLAcHER 2,764,656

RELAY Filed July 26. 1952 QQ 'WMM/f nited States Patent D 2,764,656 RELAY Application July 26, 19512, serial No. 301,096 12 claims.` (ci. 20o-16s) The present invention relates to electric relays, and moreparticularly to improved contact structures for relays which are especially 'suitable for use in applications where they are likely to be subjected to considerable shock and vibration, required to be operated by small currents, over a wide temperature range, and which are required to be hermetically sealed.

Many eiorts have heretofore been made to devise relays for use in installations in which vibration is prevalent and which are sealed and operated over considerable temperature ranges. Aircraft installations may be considered typical. It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved relay which is operable under the conditions mentioned, and which is also f economical to construct and assemble.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved relay which is sealed in a container to render it immune to moisture and injurious elements, whereby its eld of use is expanded, and its operating life is increased.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved contact structure, particularly adapted for relays, comprising a base or supporting structure including contact pins or terminals mounted in spaced apart relationship within a tubular member and sealed thereto in gas-tight relation by a` rubber compound vulcanized in situ under pressure.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved relay base and contact structure, including means for securing the contacts or terminals in fixed and spaced relation, means for hermetically sealing the contacts tothe base structure, and also providing the base structure with means whereby it can be secured in gas-tight relation to suitable relay housing means.

A further and more specific object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved contact structure, including a tubular metallic shell, a pair of circular plates of rigid insulating material held in opposed spaced relation by the shell, a series of contacts or terminals extending through and rigidly secured to the plates, and sealing means extruded into the space between the plates and secured to the shell, plates and contact terminals.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved method for producing contact-base structures which comprises the steps of assembling a tubular shell and end plates to form a hollow housing, inserting contacts or terminals through the plates, extruding a vulcanizable material preferably such as a substitute rubber compound, e. g., neoprene, into the space bounded by the shell and end plates, and then vulcanizing the neoprene in situ while maintaining it under pressure.

In brief, the contact structure of the present invention includes a cylindrical shell of metal such as brass, a pair of circular end plates of insulating material such as silicone fiber glass, and preferably also a central supporting and bearing defining element of metal such as brass. The end plates are provided with a series of apertures for the reception of contact or terminal pins. The latter are 2,764,656 Patented sept. 25, 1956 provided with knurled portions so located that when the pins are inserted through the end plates they are held xedly by the latter. The end plates are secured to the cylindrical shell and to the central supporting element with the contact pins preferably protruding through opposite sides of the assembly. Thereafter, vulcanizable rubber compound, preferably a synthetic compound, such as neoprene, is inserted into a chamber defined by the end plates, shell and bearing structure, and cured or vulcanized while maintained under pressure and at an elevated temperature. The result is a very rigid and e'icient hermetically sealed base-contact structure that can be utilized for various purposes and particularly in the manufacture of hermetically sealed relays comprising a housing which can be secured to the shell.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description of an illustrative embodiment thereof, in the course of which reference is had to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is an axial cross-section through a relay constructed in accordance with the invention, the view being taken generally along the line 1-1 of Fig. 2, and with the movable contact structure omitted;

Fig. 2 is a transversesectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and showing but one of the several movable contacts with which the relay is provided;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view illustrating apparatus utilized during the manufacture of the combined base and contact structure.

Referring now to the drawing, the relay of the present invention is illustrated in its entirety by the reference character 10. It may include many features of the similar relay disclosed and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 230,169, led June 6, 1951, and assigned to the assignee of this application.

The relay may comprise two units 12 and 14. Unit 12 consists of a cup-shaped housing 16 and a central axially extending core 18, both made of magnetic material. Unit 14 consists of the remainder of the relay and includes, in brief, a coil 20, a coil bobbin 22, a magnetic stator 24 in intimate contact with the interior of housing 16 and located adjacent the lower (as viewed in Fig. l) end of bobbin 22 to which it may be secured, a rotor 26 rotatable about the lower end of core 18, a generally cup-shaped contact actuator 28 of insulating material to which the rotor is secured and provided with a shaft 30 rotatably mounted in a counterbore 32 at the end of core 18 and in a counterbore 34 formed in a stud 36 secured to base structure 40 which is constructed in accordance with the present invention.

The rotor 26 and actuator 28 constitute an assembly. The actuator 2S has an axially extending peripheral outer wall 42 provided with a series of spaced apart axially extending slots into which the outer ends of the movable contacts Si) (of which but one is shown in Fig. 2) extend so that when the rotor-actuator is turned in response to the supply of electrical energy to the winding-20, the various contacts are moved as away from engagement with a first stationary contact and into engagement with a second contact. The stationary normally engaged contacts, which are shown as contact pins, are indicated by the reference characters 52 while the stationary normally non-engaged contacts are indicated by the reference characters 54. The movable contacts, it may be noted, are fixedly secured atone end to other stationary contact pins such as 56. The pins may be made of suitable material such as brass or silver.

The base assembly includes also the diametrically opposed pins 60 which are longer than the others and through which an energizing circuit for the coil 20 is compl'etedrthtooglr"the"tubnlarrconnectors 62, as best illustratediindig 1.:

As heretofore indicated, the contact structure is constructed in accordance with the present invention. It inthse arexedlyasecured-:in herm'eti'caliy sealedrfashion din the.: bases- The fbasezeinoludesf azxtubulan;v preerably=cir-tl culanf shell.E -7unmadenof1 'som `suitablen-material. such; as

aperturesntle endfplte's'fby .bendihgzor-peening over theI ngc'dendf'portions "78offthe-'studfwhieh denne external#` shouldersz- ItLisfseen'fth'at-iwitli*-thisltype-offconstruetion' the end platesare-'rigidlyandieiectively securedtin'I-fixedf spaced'ffa'p art"reltionrelativeetofeach other-'bythe shoulders:y on t theiendffshelland studf 'against 'which thecentral a'ndfouter portions fof the :end 'plane-sabot.-

Iii' order isecurely Landf'tri'gidly -fto hold 'the -contactf'pinsf' imposition; the-endplates'areeprovided'with a number 'of smallf spaced apart` 1 openings' having"diarneters f substan tilfly equal.=tovor slightlyllessthan the'outside-diamet-ers of the p ins. The pins"areprovidedwith'knurled-porH tionsr-Stl-andSZ'j as'fbest illustratediinFigzB, sothat when th'eepin's are drivenl into place-in thefendplates they`will be structurally hel'd'lrigidlyfin-pl"a'ce f by the knurl'ed- :por: tions'. Tlie-khurliiig 'shouldfbefV relatively heavy; to" insure good holding;`

Thefcontact pins are eiectivelylierrnetically'sealedz as is thefremainder'of :the"contact'structure inside of thef shell' in Va novel manner, In accordance with the -present *inJ ventionr there "is-introduced into' the space torl` chamber, indicated lby'` reference eh'ara'cter'-84'"andprovidedby the` shell andlend `-pl`ates,= avv vulcaniz'able' substitute rubber: compound-jgsuohas neoprene; indicated "by the reference" character'86 The'neoprene is'insertedinto the'space' i by apparatus suchu as thatillustrateddn Fig.' 4 and it Ais thereinwulc'anized. under *pressure and at an elevatedtemperature:l Additionallyto'holdethe pins, the latter may which the extruded and vulcanized .neoprene extends.

O'ne form otfapparatus. that can be used`in carryingL out' theprocess oforrningjjthe seal is' illustrated in. Fig',` 4. The -apparatus 'h'ere shown is ofthe type usingra transfer moldingjprocess;

surroundedgbya tubular' member 104 extending a short distance -above portion ,1'02 and providi'nga spaceatth'e. upper end of the structure for the reception of-tlie unilled base structure .401A P'rtion 102" is providedwith suitable apertures for the reception ofthe pins,lof.whchtonly discharge opening, 1.08 vfrom whchprojects.` aA nozzle, 110`r through which the .neoprene canbesupplied. .under pres-y sure to..thechamber 84.thevupperrplate l74-being provided ,withr aA-small opening V112 into-which the fnozzle 'liti-f projects.y The p ress element has associated: witl-riitia' punch k-114aflaptedl` tot be movedrdownwardly'- thereby to force,theeneopreneficonneds within asupply cylinder 116-'- thnough-fzthe 'discharge z-opening- 108'fof nozzleL i101' into the'- Th'e-l neoprene is forced` into the interior at a substantial pressure, sayabout one" interiorv Iothe. base; structure.

and'onmhalt'ortwo'tons total for the base structure shown whichhasea diameter of'fapproximately one inchx The:

It includes a supportingbase structure l lh'aving'an upstandingrcentralA cylindrical portion 102' 4 5?. neoprene is slowly vulcanized or cured, while the pressure. fis.-.maintained-,... byw the4 .applicationJ r oi heaty thereto through the molding apparatus which may be maintained at an elevated temperature. The result is a construction in which the neoprene is very effectively bonded to the brass structures, such as the stud, end shell and contact pins, .and yet good adhesion is achieved between the neoprene and terminal pins'rwhich may be made of coined silver instead of brass.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that the baserpinrassemb'ly' caxr'be fabricatedreadilyrand economi#- cally. There'fisprodiicedtanetectivefsealingibetween the terminals and` thelbaserstrueture, `andthelatttzr..can also be effectively sealedv to the housing. To do this the open end of the housingr'isprovided withivanfinset portion 120 into which the base structure is placed. The open end then is rolled over the base structure as indicated by the reference character 122, after which the rolled over parts cant be sealedI aswbyvsolder 12'4'Atherebyy to provideA alvery adequatelyvhermeticaliy sealedi structure;

variations andiunde'r Widelyfv-aryingconditions 'of various sorts.` It? 'enables -lwfresist-an'ce contact pins to be utilizedy withh effective seali'ng'and' there is no likelihood-onmech'ani'cal "tolerances bei-ng' lernzeeded during construction.l

disclosed "in"connecti'onwitli' a-A relaystructure, the

inventionx may b'e-utiiiz`ed'elsewhere;- as' inw the' construc= tion of contact structures-^o`various types.'

While thepresent invention :has lbeenv Vdescribedin connectiomwith'- th'efdtails of an' ili'ustrative embodiment' thereon* it sh'oui'd be"understood that itis'not intended to bef-liinitativef'of'f'the invention except'v as nset forth" inthev accompanying claims.

Wh'ab is'clai'm'edas new'and desired' to be. secured" by Letters'P'atent of-'the 'UnitedStates is:

1". Af-.contact-"structureg' including in combination; a pair 'off' ii'gidtplates 'of insulating material, a unitary structure supportingsaidplatesv in* a substantially ii'xed` parallel spaccdtlapart'relationship` and for preventing .movement of said plates toward eachother'soas' to de'ne a cavity,

and'contact pinsmountediuponsaid plates and extending,

through saidi'cavit'yg' eachot l'said p ins having spaced apart portions'congurednornrotatably securing the pin to eachl.

off'saidipiates.

27. Atcontaetstructure,- includinghincombination a pairof rigid'ipl'ates" of insulatingmaterial, supporting structure embracingtlreedg'eso each'of 'said'plates to hold them1 in"-a"substantially'xedparallel spaced apartv relationship. and'toprevent movementof"said"pl'ates toward'. each other so"as"todeneacavitn and'contact pins mounted upon saidilpl'atesrand"extending.through said cavity, each of said pins"`havingw spaced apart'.knurled` portions nonrotatablys'ecuring the pin to each of saidplates.

3'." A contactstructnre, includingin combination, a pair of rigidplates 'of insulating material," structure rigidly supportingv saidplatesn a substantially parallel spaced apart relationship'totorm a chamber andffor preventing movement "of'lsai'd plates toward each other, contact pins. se'cure'dfto saidplates'; and ayfilli'ng of 'rubber compound d undici-"pressure in' said"chamb'er and'vulcanizedin situ. to berbondedto `said` structure to -form a sealed: unitary,

Contact structure:

415 A* Contact'l structure, including in combination, aV pair'ocircularrigid plates of insulating material., a metallic'cylind'r'ic'albandiengaginglopposite surfaces of eachof.

said'piatesfortsupportingsaid.plates in a substantially iixed paralielsp'aced apart. relationship, and' to` prevent movement 'ofsaidplates .towardjeaclr' other so yas :to dene a cavity, land contact pinsmounted,.uponsaid. plates and extending througllsaidjcavity, each..o.f-said pinshaving The7 interior ofthe housing-can:bie-'evacuated and v-t'll'ed 'withf inert gas spaced apart portions configured non-rotatably securing the pin to each of said plates.

5. A contact structure, including in combination, a pair of circular, centrally apertured rigid plates of insulating-material, means including a metallic cylindrical band secured to the outer peripheries of said plates and a stud secured to the central portions of said plates for supporting said plates in substantially parallel spaced apart relationship, contact pins mounted upon said plates and each having spaced apart portions configured nonrotatably securing the pin to each of said plates, and a filling of rubber compound vulcanized under pressure in the region between the band and plates to be bonded to the engaged surfaces of the band, pins, and stud.

6. The method of constructing a contact structure comprising assembling a pair of plates, a plurality of contact pins and a tubular shell to form a base structure including the plates in parallel spaced apart relationship with the pins passing therethrough and the shell surrounding the periphery of the plates to form a chamber, introducing a vulcanizable rubber compound into said chamber, and vulcanizing said compound in said chamber while maintaining it under pressure.

7. The method of constructing a contact structure comprising assembling a pair of plates, a plurality of contact pins and a shell to form a structure with the plates in spaced apart relationship within the shell and supporting the pins therein, introducing a vulcanizable rubber compound into said shell, and vulcanizing said compound while maintaining it under pressure against the pins, plates and interior of the shell.

8. The method of constructing a contact structure comprising assembling a plurality of elongated contact elements and a tubular shell means configured to delimit a hollow cavity and to support said elements in spaced apart relationship with the elements at least in part within the shell, introducing a vulcanizable rubber compound into said cavity, and vulcanizing said compound while maintaining it under pressure against the elements and interior of the shell.

9. A relay, including in combination, a base-contact structure including a metallic tubular shell, said shell having internal shoulders at its opposite ends, a pair of silicone fiber glass end plates mounted in said shoulders and secured thereto by bent over end portions of said shell, each of said plates having a central aperture, a stud having external shoulders at its opposite ends, the ends of said stud passing through the central apertures in said plates and having its ends bent over the plates to secure the stud to the plates, said plates having a series of aligned apertures therein, contact pins passing through the apertures, a filling of rubber compound vulcanized under pressure filling the region between the plates, shell and stud; and a housing element having an end portion encircling and hermetically sealed to said shell.

10. A relay, including in combination, a base-contact structure including a metallic tubular shell, said shell having internal shoulders at its opposite ends, a pair of silicone fiber glass end plates mounted in said shoulders and secured thereto by bent over end portions of said shell, each of said plates having a central aperture, a stud having external shoulders at its opposite ends, the ends ot said stud passing through the central apertures in said plates and having its ends bent over the plates to secure the stud to the plates, said plates having a series of aligned apertures therein, contact pins passing through the apertures, said pins being substantially of the same size as the apertures and having knurled portions securely engaging the plates and grooved portions between the plates, a filling of rubber compound filling the region between the plates, shell and stud and vulcanized therein under pressure; and a housing element having an end portion encircling and hermetically sealed to said shell.

l1. A contact structure including a metallic tubular shell, said shell having internal shoulders at its opposite ends, a pair of silicone fiber glass end plates mounted in said shoulders and secured thereto by bent over end portions of said shell, each of said plates having a central aperture, a stud having external shoulders at its opposite ends, the ends of said stud passing through the central apertures in said plates and bent over the plates to secure the stud to the plates, said plates having a series of aligned apertures therein, contact pins passing through the apertures, said pins being substantially of the same size as the apertures and having knurled portions securely engaging the plates and grooved portions between the plates, and a filling of rubber of compound vulcanized under pressure lling the region between the plates, shell and stud.

12. The method of constructing a sealed contact struc ture which comprises assembling a pair of plates having apertures in a spaced relation within a hollow shell to define a chamber, inserting a plurality of contact elements in said apertures so that a portion of each of the pins is positioned within the chamber, injecting a mass of vulcanizable material into said chamber, and applying heat and pressure to said material to vulcanize said material in situ so that said material is bonded to the engaged surfaces of said shell and said contact elements.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,312,408 Hansen Mar. 2, 1943 2,389,592 Bucklen et al Nov. 27, 1945 2,451,176 Schellman Oct. 12, 1948 2,451,810 Cohen Oct. 19, 1948 2,667,553 Moorehead et al Jan. 26, 1954 2,668,207 Bengtsson Feb. 2, 1954 

